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***image1***Issue:
I was surprised being stopped off base for speeding by U.S. forces and given a speeding ticket. When I asked about it, the security forces individual told me that any road accessing a U.S. military installation is U.S. controlled.
There are no signs posted along the road indicating this, and often I’ve seen German police controlling the road for speeding, but never U.S. forces.
Can the Germans and Americans both give tickets off base? I later learned that if I had been ticketed at 1 kph more, I would have lost my license due to the “on base” point system. I think it would have been only fair to receive a warning not knowing. With that, if I had known ahead of time that the on base point system is also valid off base, I would not have gotten that ticket.
Response:
Yes, you can be ticketed for speeding anytime and anywhere. Let me explain how speed limits are enforced in the local area. Both German and U.S. military police may issue traffic citations in certain off-base areas, including Ramstein’s East Gate and West Gate access roads. According to the NATO Supplementary Agreement, security forces can enforce traffic laws on U.S. Army Europe-licensed vehicles and government-owned vehicles on U.S. military controlled roads such as these. The traffic point system, governed by Air Force Instruction 31-204 and KMC Instruction 31-204, applies to both on- and off-base traffic violations.
For example, if someone receives an off-base speeding ticket from German authorities, they will have points assessed against their driving privileges when the ticket makes it into the U.S. system. There is no “safe” place to speed. I hope this clears up your questions about speeding in the KMC.
If you have additional questions about speeding rules and policies, call the 569th U.S. Forces Police Squadron operations staff at 489-6902. Remember to drive safe and arrive alive!
The Action Line is your link to help answer questions and concerns about life in the KMC.
When normal command agency channels haven’t been able to resolve your concerns, send me an e-mail. Only e-mails that are genuinely applicable across the community are addressed in the Kaiserslautern American. Send e-mails to the Action.Line@ramstein.af.mil. To receive a reply, please include your name, address (or workplace) and phone number.
— Brig. Gen. Rosanne Bailey
435th Air Base Wing commander
